I am from Washington

Reading this post, you need to realize an important fact:

the first 22 years of my life were spent in Washington.

I know my apples.

I love my apples.

And sometimes I acquire so many apples I look like a hoarder.

I had 15 pounds of apples in my house this morning.  And that was after eating a few last night.

Criterions

McIntoshes

And fujis

Why so many?

We foolishly picked up apples on our way home from church yesterday.  That’s to blame for the fujis.

My parents were also coming.  And said they’d bring some things from the garden. That’s to blame for the Criterions.

And then I told my mom to go through the Hood River fruit loop on their way down.  Which resulted in the McIntoshes.

But like I said, if you’re a good Washingtonian you know your apples*

So I knew that even with their less than perfect spots

The criterions would make a fantastic pie.

Hello pretty

I love how apple pie looks

Crust

Brilliant part-I found a recipe where you make a caramel sauce, and dump it over the lattice.  Gives you sugary goodness on top.

And since I had started chopping apples, applesauce was made too

A little under an hour later, and I have this beauty on my table

And a big bowl of apple sauce

Plus, my apple stash has shrunk

At least until next week when my cousin is bringing us goodies from apple pressing.

I’m not worried.  It’ll just be an excuse to make more of these

What’s your favorite apple type?  I’m all about the fujis and the galas.

Have any favorite apple recipes?
*I have had many conversations about apples in my life.  Fuji’s vs Braburns, why on earth anyone eats apples that have “delicious” in the name as those are always the worst,  the pros and cons of a backyard apple trees.  Not weird, right?

Home Cooked

Yesterday, while on our shopping adventure, we stopped to get lunch in the mall

This was necessary as I had the distinct feeling while in Sephora of “Wow.  I might pass out right now.  Well, my phone is in my pocket, so they’ll be able to find the fiance”

Thanks blood sugar, thanks.  I suppose that’s what I get for having a tartlet for breakfast huh?

Thai food

Curry for me, some sort of deep fried goodness for the fiance.  Plus chinese

Pepper chicken and veggies for me, beef broccoli for the fiance.

Did you know if you ask nicely at Panda Express they’ll give you half rice/noodles, and half veggies?  It’s great if you’re me and crave veggies but love the carbs.

Then, because cooking at home would be a cost saving measure and we were shopping all day, we hit up our old hood for some dinner.

Sal’s was one of our favorite places in Northwest.  That might have something to do with the fact that our first visit there we discovered we’d come on half price wine night.

They give you wonderful bread.   Mmmm bread.

I made quick enough work of the bread basket that the idea of appetizers made my tummy feel like it’d explode.

(that clearly means I ate a LOT of bread.  Whoops)

My tummy was not, however, too full for wine

Shocking, right?

I ordered chicken with veggies, cause warm roast chicken sounded so good

And got this

Here’s what was awesome about that.

In high school for a while I worked at the mall.  The mall closed at 7 on Sundays, and I worked closing most Sundays.  By the time we got the store cleaned up, closed, and I got home, it was a big past when my family ate dinner.

But my daddy would make me little “Kalin meals” that involved baking up chicken and veggies and deliciousness in some sort of broth or sauce every week.

This tasted just like one of those.

Which made it pretty much the best dinner ever.

I’ve been packing and cleaning like crazy today, so I’ve only got one food photo to show you

No idea how that happened.  No idea at all.

So, let’s share a family food memory!  What was something that your family would make special for you?

Surreal America

When we got to my parents we were informed that we had to hurry to eat lunch so we could go wine tasting.

I like my family.

We live in my type of small town.

We’re in the middle of the Columbia Valley.  If you drink wine from Washington, it’s probably grown not too far from where my parents live.

We started with Terra Blanca

It’s a pretty facility.  If I wanted to spend an extra 10 or 20 grand on my wedding I’d totally have it there.  But I’m cheap.

We got a total Christmas card picture

And headed over to Kiona.  It’s one of the oldest wineries in the area.

It’s a pretty place

And they had snacks.  Love wineries with snacks.  Cheese, chocolate, crackers, CHEESECAKE.  Love.

Then Fidelitas, which was charging a tasting fee and crowded, so we just got this picture out front

I love this picture.  I’m pouting till the fiance lets me use it as our Save the Date picture.

At this point I was enjoying the wine to the point where I was saying “instead of a reception, after our wedding we’re going wine tasting” over and over.

I still stand by that idea.

We had a big ol’ family dinner

I had a steak with sauteed mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes with garlic (SO GOOD!), salad, and a twice backed potato.

For comparisons sake, here is Baby Brother’s plate

Meat and Potatoes.  All American.

I guess that salad weighed me down, cause this happened

Whoops.  Sorry about the chair mommy.

Then monster baby helped me check email

She adored the mac book.  She also loves olives (It is one of 4 words she can say:  mama, dada, ball, and olive.  All the words you need).  And makeup brushes.  She was jonesin pretty hard for my beer too.  She’s going to be just like her auntie!

End of the weekend tomorrow

Question:  eating with family-love it or not?  I adore it because my daddy makes amazing things.  Like the spinach and tomatoes and those twice baked potatoes (they had like 4 types of cheese!).

I don’t wanna!

Taught all day today!

Made myself eggnog coffee this morning

Had some toast with cream cheese, plus an unpictured apple for breakfast

And, awesomely came home from work to realize i never turned the oven off from making my toast.

One of these days I’m going to burn down the house.

I packed a lunch ahead of time, which means it was only a little pitiful

Cheese and whole grain ritz, yogurt with some agave and pumpkin pie spices, and granola.  Plus crack oranges.

We’re leaving for Thanksgiving tomorrow, and wanna know something?

So not excited.

I’ve never had thanksgiving anywhere but my parents house.  Like, NO WHERE else.  Not even down the street and still in my home town or anything.

And we’ve gotten emails from the fiance’s fam about food…. and it makes me less and less excited.

There’s Cool Whip on the menu.

And, um, deer?

And NO rutabagas

I’m kinda getting the vibe only veggies covered in stuff are being served (candied yams, green bean casserole).

I know I’m totally spoiled but I am pouting about the whole pumpkin pie being made from canned pumpkin (which, btw kids, isn’t pumpkin, it’s dickinson squash.  Google it and tell me if that looks like a pumpkin to you)

And no blackberry pie, made from berries we grew.

And I’m just bummed I’m not going out sock shopping with my family (And Sarah Palin stalking!)

And I’m getting this all out of my system now so I don’t spend the trip pouting

Anyone else wanna complain about the holidays?

Or tell me how they leave the oven on so that I feel like I’m not the only one?

We’re related

I’ll tell you guys more about my recent eats tomorrow.

But monster baby (aka my niece) was just here, and she’s cuter than me. Or my food.

She started our her morning with blueberries, yogurt, some Killer Bread, and a lollipop (that was for drumming, not eating of course unlike her auntie who had candy for breakfast)

She was unsure what to make of the camera

But, we are related, so she realized quickly that she should make faces

That’s the face that she makes when she’s surprised.  I’ve been told she does it after throwing things down the stairs. It’s also the same face I make in about 90% of pictures.  We’re related.

Baby brother has worked hard at teaching her to throw food when she’s done.  There’s yogurt on the floor I need to mop up now.

We took monster baby and her parents out to Fat City Cafe for some breakfast

She was skeptical.

But once allowed to smother herself in food be independent and feed herself, she got into it

There’s a chance I’m also happier when I don’t have to use utensils.  We won’t talk about it.

We then went to the Killer Breadquarters.  She was quite the fan.

Like me, my niece is a fan of the Good Seed

(She also shares my affinity for cardigans.  And stickers)

And she also reads her labels, just like me.

We went to Trader Joes to stock up on some basics

She and I have the same definition of “basics”.  Her parents cart was weirdly different.

I don’t know why no one thinks it’s adorable when I get distract in the store with a cart full of booze.

Sadly, after some trampoline jumping, playing with a “ba!  ba!” (That’d be a ball friends.  Took me a minute) she got back in the car with her mommy and daddy to go home.

Do you have any nieces or nephews?  (besides you baby brother.  I know you do.)